Remodel for Santa Fe Council Chambers?

A few of the city councilors in left-leaning Santa Fe are ready to move closer to the center – of city council chambers, that is.

Councilors Chris Rivera and Bill Dimas — both elected earlier this year — are sponsoring a resolution to create a plan and cost estimate for a remodel of the large room at City Hall where the City Council holds court.

The main issue is a seating configuration that forces three or four councilors, including the resolution’s sponsors, to sit perpendicular to meeting attendees.

“We haven’t changed council chambers probably since I was there in 1984,” serving a prior council term, Dimas said.

“I just remember even back then it was difficult to see into the audience. If you’re seated where Chris (Rivera) and I and Patti (Bushee) are seated in the chambers, it’s very difficult to look out into the audience sitting there. Not only for us, but also for the audience to be able to see us without getting this side view,” Dimas said.

A remodel would allow councilors “to establish a more direct relationship with the public” by allowing “for direct visibility and interaction,” the resolution says.

“A representative government requires that elected officials have a full understanding of the issues before it and have the ability to be open and accessible with the public during Governing Body meetings,” the resolution says.

Rivera noted the seating setup forces him, Dimas, Bushee and, to an extent, Councilor Carmichael Dominguez to look in the direction of the city manager, city attorney and city clerk. Councilors should be looking at the public — it’s a “respect thing,” Rivera said.

Rivera and Dimas said they envision moving things around so that the council’s seats are in a more circular formation. Rivera, noting that some councilors are trying to be more eco-conscious by using less paper, also said he’d also like to see some technological upgrades, perhaps built-in computers at council seats or “at least something a little more conducive to bringing a laptop.”

Dimas and Rivera wouldn’t speculate on the potential expense of a remodel. The resolution doesn’t authorize the city to automatically move forward with a re-do, so the council will likely review future proposals.

“It’s really just sort of a direction to the city manager to get a study together to see how much it would cost before we make any decision,” Rivera said.